


Trials of the Heart

by Aweebwrites



Series: Hooves and Fins [7]
Category: Lego Ninjago
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Blood, Blood Drinking, Blood Loss, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Cannibalism, Dismemberment, F/F, Harpies, Jealousy, Kelpies, M/M, Merpeople, Mythical Beings & Creatures, Naga, One-Sided Attraction, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Phoenixes, Selkies, Vampires, Were-Creatures
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-22
Updated: 2019-08-22
Packaged: 2020-09-18 19:44:22
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20318494
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aweebwrites/pseuds/Aweebwrites
Summary: Spring's here! Or is it really? There's a new face among the group and Zane doesn't approve.





	Trials of the Heart

"It's finally spring!" Jay chirped flying out of the side of their cliff home, over the still iced over waters l along the fjord they called home.

"This winter was a little shorter than normal through." Cole says as he walked along the shore, finned tail flicking back and forth as he looked it over.

"By a few days." Kai agrees, perched on Cole's back. "Jay's happy about it so I am too." The Phoenix harpy grinned and Cole smiled a little.

"Alright. Off. I have to break up the ice for Nya then you do your thing." Cole told him and Kai nods, taking air and hovering there as he watched Cole rolled his shoulders.

He pushed himself up on his hind legs then slammed his front ones down, creating an earthquake to shatter the ice along the water.

"Show time." Kai grinned then flew over to Nya's side of the lake end of the fjord and gathered fire along his feathers and him his mouth, much like a dragon.

He then blew it out as he flew around, melting the ice on top and continuing still to warm the water up a bit.

"That should do it. She can swim out and about but the deeper portion of the water will be pretty cold." Kai says, coming to a hover over the water as Cole walked over to the iceless side of the lake area.

"It'll take a few weeks before it's warm enough for her. Skylor should be fine." Cole agrees. "Hey Jay, tell them the good news." He called out to the storm harpy that was doing loopty loops in the air.

"Gotcha!" Jay called out then pulled off a sharp dive then turned last minute, going into the side of the cliff.

"In the meantime, I'm gonna take a quick run to see if all the ice around the edges are broken up." Cole says, turning away.

"Alright." Kai says, watching him take off in a steady gallop.

"Kai!" Said Phoenix blinked at his name then looked towards the large chunks of ice on the colder side of the lake.

He spotted Zane once he raised a hand and waved. Kai chuckled as he flew over.

"Boy you really do blend in with the ice." Kai smiled as Zane slid up on a large chunk.

"Could you do me a favour?" Zane asked quickly and Kai frowned at his urgent tone.

"Sure. What is it?" Kai asked, flying closer to the mer, watching curiously as he held something to his chest then stretched his hand out to show Kai. "Oh. It's your gold. Do you need me to make it into something for you?" He asked, using his taloned foot to take it as he hovered still.

"Yeah. But it's something specific…" Zane says with a light blue flush in his cheeks that had Kai raising a brow.

"Well then… I'm all ears." Kai hummed, intrigued.

Cole on the other hand stood on the other side of the cliff facing, making it to the top rather easily. It gave him a higher view of the water below. It was all broken up. Much further down the channel still had ice but that would melt on its own soon. He turned around then galloped his way down the hill that made the cliff, enjoying the feeling of his hooves hitting the ground, the wind through his much longer hair. It's getting out of control. He should find some way to trim it but…

He thought back to all the times Zane kept running his class through the thick strands of his hair, an adoring look in his eyes. Well. If Zane liked it that much, he would keep it as is. He looked ahead curiously once he noticed Zane and Kai talking. They looked up to see him before Kai grinned and flew off.

"What's that all about?" Cole asked as he slowed to a trot.

"Nothing." Zane immediately dismissed then slid his way further on sure and Cole smiled, kneeling before him and cupping his cheeks.

"You're up to something. I can tell." Cole hummed and Zane only grinned, revealing sharp, pearly whites teeth.

"Maybe… But you're going to have to wait and see." Zane purrs, using his mate as support so he could reach his height.

"Ooooh. A surprise. I like the sound of that." Cole smiled, nuzzling his nose against Zane's as the mer purred happily.

"Good." Zane hummed before they both pressed their lips together, tongues coming into play right away.

Zane's black tongue slid against sharp fangs and further still to strong yet just as sharp molars that weren't that sharp before his change. While Cole had eaten other animals as a normal centaur, most of their diet was plants after all. Now, while Cole would enjoy kelp with him, he very much preferred meat and fish which made his newer, sharper teeth come in handy. On Cole's end, his light green tongue met rows of razor sharp teeth he had to be careful with. While Zane doesn't chew his food, he has this many teeth to allow him to latch on firmly to prey and puncture more lively fish and animals so thoroughly, if they somehow manage to get away, the bite alone is guaranteed to kill them. Their equally long tongues tangled together, their movements slow and savory. That is, until-

"Hey. It's too early for that." Nya called out and they pulled away from each other to blink at the warm water mer as she swum around stretching her fins.

"There's still a week tops before you two get rut brained." Skylor smirked as she allowed herself to float and both cold water mer and Kelpie flushed.

"You're one to talk." Cole huffed as Zane hid his face into his muscular chest, a low whine leaving him as he flicked his tail in embarrassment.

"Cool it. By then we're all slaves to instinct." Jay huffed as he arrived on scene, landing on the shore. "Really, if anyone should be making fun of anyone or complain, it's the Senseis and Lloyd." He says, sitting on the cold sand.

"Which is why we should make sure everything is in order for when they wake up." Kai says, arriving as well, perching next to his mate. "They can awaken at anytime during or after that time for us so let's start planning." He told them and they nodded.

"Alright. Anyone have any clue what waking dragons need?" Nya asked and there was all around silence.

"Boy do we have our work cut out for us…" Cole says drily.

___

"So food's obviously gonna be a thing on the list." Nya says, sitting on the shore with everyone else. "But we can't start stocking up too early and risk spoilage nor can we wait until it's too late and our instincts are mostly in control." She says, tapping a red claw against her arm.

"We start gathering in about 4 or 5 days instead then." Zane suggests and Nya nods.

"Fair enough. I'm just grasping at straws here but since the cold had put them to sleep to begin with, maybe some warmth will help them wake up." Cole suggested.

"So… We make them a fire?" Kai questions.

"That seems impractical since we don't know exactly when they're gonna wake up." Skylor pointed out.

"Well yeah, but they can all spark a fire on their own. Maybe we just leave them supplies to make it." Cole clarified and they paused to think on it.

"Not a bad idea." Jay nods, the others agreeing.

"Ok. Food and warmth. What else?" Nya asked them and they all paused to think.

"Oh! Water!" Jay spoke up with a grin.

"Of course." They huffed, facepalming.

"Alright. Food, warmth and water. Anything else they might need?" Cole listed off and they paused to think on it.

"No. I think that's about it." Kai says, crossing his singed arms.

"Alright. Then- huh?" Cole looked at Zane as he scented the air, eyes narrowed sharply.

Of all of them, Zane had the best sense of smell as he needed it for his time up north while hunting. He narrowed his eyes at the tree line, spines standing on edge along his back down his tail as a low hiss escaped him. That put all of them on guard. Zane's never reacted like this before, not even to the bear that attacked them during autumn. It must be an intruder.

"We'll take a look from above." Kai says seriously as Cole urged Zane in the water fully, just in case.

They took off once Nya nods, retreating to the water as well but still staying close to shore with Skylor. They had an advantage there after all. Soon, Cole could hear them approach and he snorts, dragging his hoof through the sand, ready to attack at any given time.

"I see them. it's just one creature." Jay says, sharp eyes spotting the figure as they keep coming directly towards them before his eyes widened once they walked through thinner coverage. "It's a-"

"Centaur?" Kai finished, surprised.

He wasn't the only one. Centaurs don't live this far up north naturally. Plus, there's a lot of hills and mountains rather than the plains centaurs prefer. Cole should know, he used to be one. That didn't make him any less wary though. Finally, they broke through the tree line and Cole blinked at the centaur that walked through. It wasn't anyone he's met before, that's for sure. She was a very light brown, almost blonde coloured centaur who's coat matched her wavy hair that spilled down her back. She looked around with wide hazel eyes then spotted Cole.

"Oh… You're a centaur…" She says, walking forwards slowly. "But also not?" She says, spotting his finned tail as it flicked back and forth warily.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" Cole asked, getting right to it.

"Oh. I'm Mariah. I…" Tears filled her eyes. "I got separated from my herd. We were escaping hunters…" She whispered as tears fell down her cheeks.

"You're a long way from any nearby plains though." Jay says suspiciously as he swooped down to land.

Apparently that was the wrong thing to do since she reared up with a startled whinny then galloped towards Cole. He tensed, ready for an attack- only to blink when she held onto his arm tightly, whimpering against the back of his shoulder from her shorter statue. Cole… Didn't know what to make of this.

Zane on the other hand… He watched with wide eyes from the water as she held onto his mate's arm, burying her face into his mate's skin. He stared for a moment longer before he released a series of warning clicks and trills under the water that mimicked growls, the broken up ice solidifying again as he glared at the imposing female with icy venom.

"Cold!" Nya's yelp startled him out of his challenging stance.

He watched as both she and Skylor dove under the water before the surface stilled, solidifying into clear ice. His ear fins flattened when he realised that he was the cause.

"What happened Zane?" Cole asked, green eyes focused on him, the worry in them thawing the icy bitterness that took him just now.

"Oh. Sorry. I wasn't paying attention." He apologised with a sheepish smile.

It wasn't a lie but it wasn't the whole truth. He just felt silly for reacting the way he has. Cole loves him and this outsider will be leaving anyways. Speaking of, she turned around to see him, seeing his intimidating teeth and claws then gave a shrieking whinny, shifting to bury her face into Cole's chest, trembling with her tail between her legs. Cole grimaced, looking down at the skittish girl then sighed. They couldn't just tell her to scram. It wasn't in their nature.

"Jay, could you and Kai look around to see if you can find any nearby centaurs?" Cole asked, looking across at him.

"Roger." Jay nods then took off, going after Kai who had remained hidden but only to ambush if necessary.

"You know that harpy?" Mariah asked, looking up at him with wide eyes.

'Isn't that obvious?' Cole thought dryly. "Yeah. He's a friend. Don't worry. We'll find your herd." He says aloud and Mariah smiled widely.

"Thank you for your help!" She says happily, nuzzling against him and Zane sneered, his sharp teeth glinting menacingly as he narrowed glowing arctic blue eyes at her from the water.

For her sake, Kai and Jay better find her herd quickly.

________

"This is bad." Nya says from inside her pool in the cave.

"Yeah. Mariah's presence means that hunters have already mobilised and are closing in." Skylor says with a frown, keeping her company, her sealskin wrapped around Nya's neck to help keep her warm.

"That's bad but it's not what I meant." Nya says, glancing towards the obscure exit onto the beach. "I meant Mariah all but clinging to Cole like that." She clarified.

"Huh? But it's obvious he isn't interested in her." Skylor says with a frown.

"Yeah that may be true but not only has Zane never experienced a challenger who obviously wants to stake a claim, it's really close to that time of the year. You should know. Jealousy and instincts aren't the best mix." Nya says pointedly and Skylor's purple serpentine tail swung from side to side.

"True. Do you think he'll attack?" Skylor asked, resting her chin in her clawed hand.

"Definitely if Mariah keeps clinging to Cole like a parasite. It's just a matter of when." Nya says, nuzzling the warm seal skin around her neck. "I've never seen a cold water mer before Zane and I certainly haven't seen them hostile. I've heard that's when they're most fearsome." She whispered.

"... I've seen cold water mers before him. They aren't as social as Zane is. They're intimidating, even while not paying any creature any mind." Skylor says, recalling a brief trip she had some time ago further up north.

They were all pretty gray scale, varying from dark gray to light with barely visible flecks of colour. They were all pretty big too, not to say Zane was small. He was much bigger than Nya and herself after all. It's just… She slipped into the water, using her legs to tread as she brushed Nya's hair back. They've gotten so used to Zane, to how soft and kind he was. This would be a reminder that Zane is capable of more than they ever thought. Nya looked up at her with her clear blue eyes and she smiled softly, her purple serpentine tail coming around to wrap around Nya's tail. It'll be unfortunate but it might also be a good thing.

_________

Cole sat, completely annoyed on the shore, a hand crafted fire before him… And Mariah glued to his side, preventing him from going in the water and cuddling Zane in his arms, preventing him from watching his relaxed face as he slept soundly, brushing his fingers against his pale cheek…

"It's a pretty cold tonight, isn't it?" Mariah asked with a shiver but Cole couldn't feel it.

The cold didn't bother him at all and as far as he knew, heat is the same.

"I suppose." Cole says, trying not to let his annoyance bleed through into his voice.

He knew it wasn't her fault but dammit he can't leave her out here alone. Centaurs separated from a tightly knit herd go through separation anxiety. It has them searching endlessly for their herd or latch onto a new one- or any creature close to a centaur. It's what helps his former kind integrate into new herds. He frowns, looking out at the iced over water, at the small hole there that was just about large enough for a head to poke through.

This'll be the first time in over a year Zane would sleep by himself. That realisation didn't bode well with him. He hopes Zane would have patience, until Mariah was gone…

Zane on the other hand tried to talk himself down just below the ice. He was just so used to sleeping next to Cole, his body can't even fathom such a feat tight now. At least his species could go days without sleep and still be unaffected but it was a routine he had come to treasure and she was ruining it with her presence! A low warning trill escaped him as his spines flared wider slowly darkening as more of his blue blood pumped through them. He shook his head, trying to shake it off. He knows Cole loves him and would never pick her over him. Knows this more than anything. But the problem lies with that mare touching his mate. A low trill escaped him as he looked up towards the surface with ominously glowing blue eyes. He doesn't share.

____________

Morning came with no signs from Kai and Jay, giving the odd family reason to worry.

"They never take this long to come back…" Cole whispered, looking to the sky. "How long have you been wandering?" He asked the mare who was glued to his side still.

"I've lost track. A few days at least…" Mariah says quietly, pressing even closer and Cole grimaced realising that this might actually take longer than he'd expected.

She's out of luck come a few days. Whether she likes it or not, he'll be returning to the water to mate with his mate. Speaking of, he hasn't been able to see him since she got here. It was time he changed that.

"Wait here." He told her, getting to his hooves and walking towards the water.

"You'll come back, right?" She asked, eyes wide and tear filled.

"Yeah. Don't worry. In just a sec." Cole says, glancing over his shoulder at her then stepped onto the iced over lake.

"Are you sure?" She called out, figuring nervously.

"Yeah. I'm sure." Cole says, irritation blooming.

He doesn't want to be angry at her but he hasn't been able to hold his mate since she got-

"I'll come with you." She says as she got up, trotting over.

"No. You can't. I'm-"

The ice breaking the moment she stepped on it cut off Cole's explanation and she rested back at the ice cold water that splashed against her legs.

"C-Cold!" Mariah stuttered, backing up and Cole facepalmed.

What was this situation even?

"I- I'm sorry. I just… I just wanted to stay with you a little. Just until I can find my pack and I… I'm already such a burden…" She whispered, wiping her tears with the back of her hands and Cole felt a twinge of guilt.

He looked out to the ice, seeing barely visible eyes of glowing blue there, watching their movements.

"Sorry Zane. Maybe later on." Cole says softly then walked out of the water, missing when it immediately froze over. "You're shivering. Let's head back. I'll build another fire." He says, reaching a hand down to help her up.

Mariah sniffled then nodded, taking his hand, not letting it go as she followed alongside him. The temperatures took a steep dip then, frost building up along the bark of the trees. Cole turned back to the frozen body of water once he heard something. It was more like low vibrations coming from the water. He shook it off. He must have been hearing things.

_____

Zane decided the best way to push these feelings back was contact with his mate. A kiss even. Just the thought had him perking up as he used his claws to cut himself a hole so he could pop up through. He pulled himself out of the water partially, his tail still mostly in the hole as he looked around. He perked up even more seeing Cole return from a round of hunting.

"Cole!" Zane called out grinning once his Kelpie mate perked up at his voice and smiled widely, seeing him waiting for him.

He dropped the rabbits he caught and galloped towards the ice- but Zane just wasn't allowed to have good things while Mariah was around, was he?

"Oh? That's your name?" Mariah asked, intercepting his path to him. "I'm sorry. I should have asked earlier. I must seem so insensitive now." She apologized as Zane's happiness faded.

"It's fine. I just have to-"

"So rabbits co-" Mariah had cut Cole off, only to he cut off herself once she ends up tripping on something partially buried in the sand, leaving her to yelp and fall against Cole, both of them ending up on the ground, Mariah half across Cole. "I'm sorry! I'm so clumsy! Are you ok?!" She asked him, sitting in her haunches as Cole sat up, trying not to let his irritation show.

"I'm fine." Cole says quietly.

He looked at the ice once he heard a silent splash, only to find both Zane and the hole gone, as if they never were. Cole didn't like that. It didn't sit well with him how he just took off. He stood then paused once he realised something. Another breath out turned to fog as the temperature plummets further.

"W-w-wow. It g-g-got so c-c-cold all of a sudden." Mariah stuttered, getting to her hooves as she rubbed her bare arms. "It's snowing…" She whispered and Cole looked up seeing the snow drifting down from the pale blue sky.

This was… Abnormal. Cole looked to the frozen solid lake. Was this… Was this Zane's doing?

"Mariah. Head inside the cave." Cole told her and she looked at him wide eyed.

"B-b-"

"Would you rather freeze to death before you ever see your herd again?" Cole asked her, clipped and blunt, unphased as more tears filled her eyes.

"N-no…" She says, looking down then fiddling with her hands.. "It's just…"

Cole straightened, hearing something from the lake, calling him, beaconing him to come. No doubt it was Zane.

"Wait!" Mariah says, grabbing his arm and Cole turned around to finally snap at her, only to find her lips pressed against his.

Meanwhile, it was all Zane could do to control himself. His mind was filled with dark, gruesome things, claws ready to inflict critical damage, teeth itching to sink and rip into flesh. He tried breathing in slowly through his gills, trying to calm his rushing pulse, trying to grasp at control that was slipping through his webbed hands like sand. Logic knows what's best bit instincts are so much stronger, so much harder to fight. He knew if he let it take over, he would take a life. He didn't want to be that kind of mer, didn't want to prove the stereotypes of his kind right. He clenched his fists tightly, trying to prevent his body from preparing to fight, to maim. His mind was a mess. Emotions, logic and instincts all clashing, overlapping. He needed to calm down, needed to escape the source of his dilemma but he couldn't. He refused. He wouldn't leave Cole alone with _ her _ . He didn't trust her. Wouldn't trust her. Not with _ his _ mate.

He needed, he needed… He lowered his hands from his face, ignoring the blackness of his claws that now extended past his wrist, ignoring the blue of his fins filled with so much of his blue blood, they looked black ignoring the light blue specks of his body that also took on that same colour. He needed his mate. He needed Cole.

A reverberating croon left him as he called for his mate, calling him to come to him. He's the only one that can quiet the storm in his mind right now. It only occurred to him after a moment that it would be hard to hear under thick ice. He swam up then used his tail to break a large portion of the ice before pushing himself up, ready to restart his calls- only to see Mariah with her lips on his mate's.

That was the last straw. Emotions and mainly instincts won, the whites of Zane's eyes turning dark as he gave a hiss of outrage. They turned towards him but Zane was cutting through the ice like it wasn't there, eyes screaming murder as he locked onto the one who dare challenged him.

"Zane?" Cole whispered, stepping back without realising, getting whiplash from the constant flow of shock.

This Zane looks so different. So much wilder… Deadlier…

"Woah! Shit!" Mariah yelled once Zane ricocheted out of the water, coming directly at her.

She then did something that startled Cole: she teleported out of Zane's line of attack.

"That was close." She sighed once Zane collided with the beach but he still looked fearsome and clearly wasn't about to back down anytime soon.

"... How did you do that?" Cole asked quietly, eyes narrowed in suspicion and Mariah looked at him surprised, realising that she blew her cover before she huffed.

"Damn. Ah well. This was boring anyway." Mariah says and Cole's eyes widened as her centaur form faded away to a completely humane one.

But that along with her teleportation was a clear sign she wasn't a regular human. She was most likely a witch whom were worse than hunters. They hunted just like the humans did but they keep their catch for their essence, adding it to their spells and potions. Essence is the very source of what made a creature who the are and they use the essence from parts of whatever unfortunate creature they manage to capture until they have no more left, until they're nowhere close to the creature they used to be. Essence is strongest with intense feelings as well... Like pain. Death in the end is the only mercy they receive from their capture.

Considering this witch was able to shapeshift and teleport, it was unfortunate that Wu and Garmadon are asleep. Considering the fact that they are asleep and vulnerable, they had to protect them. But Nya and Skylor are too vulnerable to the cold. Kai and Jay are gone too. Zane is… Cole looked past her at his seething black and blue eyed mate. Zane… He spotted a flash of light then jumped back out of the way, Mariah holding a cruel smile on her face.

"Eyed on me loverboy. No more daydreaming." She smirked as her hands glowed. "And to think such a rare sight like you would be more than interested in a fair centaur maiden, just before breeding season, hmm? Though it's peculiar. My love spell hasn't been working at all, no matter how many times I've casted it though touch. My spells always work. Explain this, creature." She sneered, raising a hand towards him threateningly.

"Love spell?" Cole whispered, eyes wide.

It must be because he's already in love with Zane! No time for that. He needed to get rid of her before she does something terrible. But how? His earth powers can only do so much!

"Nevertheless, Kelpie are a truly rare and powerful source of both spiritual and water essence and I plan on taking you with me." She grinned then yelled as she shot a beam of her magic at him and Cole three his hands up to block- but it never landed.

Cole blinked then looked over his arms, eyes wide to see a wall of ice it seems before him. But this ice was different, darker.

"You pesky fish!" Mariah yelled and Cole's eyes widened.

_ Zane! _

Cole was quick to round the ice, seeing Mariah distracted with attacking Zane, his ice blocking her attacks.

"I'll slit your neck and bleed you dry when I'm done with you!" She yelled at him and Cole narrowed his eyes.

He turned around then put his weight on his front hooves and used his back legs to slam into her back, leaving her to tell as the momentum flung her onto the iced over lake, the impact of her landing cracking the ice. Zane moved like a viper in the grass, sliding back into the water quickly, the small hole in the ice freezing over instantly. Cole watched Mariah from the shore as she slowly got up with a groan, bracing himself for what was to come next. Then it happened. Mariah screamed as she found herself high in the air, ice, water and Zane trailing after her mid air from his jump. Cole didn't flinch seeing Zane's sharp teeth sink into her exposed neck, his claws digging into her flesh as he dropped back into the water with her, disappearing under the surface, ice immediately reforming afterwards.

Zane spun as he dragged her deeper into the water, then pulled away with the chunk of her neck he had bitten into. She immediately brought her hands to her heavily bleeding throat as she began to both drown and bleed to death but Zane wasn't done yet. Not even close. He hissed as he swam in, clamping on her arm, shaking her violently until it ripped off. He immediately closed his strong jaw around the other, digging his claws into her flesh to keep her steady as he ripped it off as well. He hissed at her pale, lifeless face then unhinged his jaw for the final blow. He closed his teeth around the entirety of her neck then ripped it free from her body, spitting it out in disgust then sneered at her remains. 

On shore, Cole saw nothing for a few seconds after Zane disappeared below but then the ice under the water began to turn red. He stood there as it sunk in.

Zane just killed someone.

Cole pressed his lips together before they stretched in a smile. He was oddly proud. He had concerns if Zane had enough of a heart to do it if his life was at risk. He forgot that Zane was perhaps the most deadly of them all. It made him even prouder to call Zane his mate.

"Cole!" The centaur looked up once Jay's voice caught his ears, sewing him a moment after flying quickly towards him.

He landed before him, sending icy sand kicking up in the air.

"Mariah is-"

"A witch?" Cole says, cutting him off and confusing Jay.

"Yeah! But how'd you know?" Jay asked, confused.

"She gave herself away. But we don't have to worry about her ever again." Cole says, smiling as he looked out to the lake.

"How come? Hey why is the lake re-" Jay cut himself off when everything pieced together.

"Holy shit." Kai says, arriving then as well. "I mean, I should have known with Zane being a cold water mer but damn." He says, landing next to them, holding a large gold circlet in hand.

Cole looked at it confused.

"Hey, where'd you find that?" Cole asked him and Kai looked at the solid gold band in hand.

"Oh this? It's actually yours." Kai says, tossing it to him. "Zane asked me to make it for you. It's a permanent accessory so whenever you're ready, I'll melt the gold shut for good." He says with a smirk as Cole looked over the details in the circlet in awe.

That was clearly them along the middle. Zane on one side and him on the other, their tails laced together on the back and them sharing a kiss on the front. Cole's heart warmed as he smiled at it. It was gorgeous.

"Oh. We've brought company by the way." Kai added and Cole glanced over his shoulder, eyes widening to see two familiar figures.

"Where's the witch?" Ronin asked, glancing up at them from under his conical hat as he walked on shore.

"By now? The Departed Realm." Jay says, gesturing to the lake.

"Woah. Zane did that?" Dareth asked surprised, his head cocked to the side. "Jeeze. I didn't think he had it in him." He says with a grimace.

A section of the ice on the lake collapsed suddenly and the group blinked once a darker blue tail tossed out two arms, a torso and a head, all covered in frost. Kai whistled low.

"Remind me not to piss Zane off." Jay says with a grimace.

Cole was more focused on Zane, watching the mer watch him with only his hair and eyes visible. The cold water mer gave a beaconing croon and Cole gave the circlet back to Kai.

"Hold onto this for me." He humbled then walked towards the water, his eyes focused on his mate.

He didn't care about the lingering blood that gave the water a pink tinge. He only cared about Zane. Cole stood there, face to face with Zane, noticing that he still looked so wild, so dangerous with his gorgeous blues replaced with deadly blacks, his glowing eyes standing our even more when framed by black… But he didn't mind at all. He reached out and cupped Zane's cheek gently, stroking his thumb against his skin. Zane purred, leaning into his touch with closed eyes as Cole smiled softly. They both moved, their lips pressing together as they clutched at each other, missing this, missing each other. With a flick of Cole's tail, they both disappeared below the water.

"Awww. A happy ending." Jay cooed next to Kai as Ronin inspected the remains next to them.

"She mostly bled out but there should still be enough for a decent meal." He murmured to himself, ignoring the arms and head, going straight for the body.

"Are you gonna finish that?" Dareth asked eagerly as he watched his partner bare his fangs.

Ronin paused, glancing over at the half werewolf with wide brown eyes, watching his ears perk up as his tail wagged eagerly. Ronin only huffed and tossed him the closest arm, Dareth catching it in his mouth.

"Wouldn't want you to go hungry. You're annoying when you get all whiny." Ronin huffed with a small smirk, his red eyes glinting.

"While you guys do your thing, I'm gonna check up on Nya." Kai says, walking away.

"I'll come with!" Jay chirps, following after him.

The mercenary and his <strike>pet</strike> partner watched them go before returning their attention to the all expenses paid meal left for them.

"Well. Bon appétit." The vampire murmured then sank his fangs into the shoulder of the corpse, draining her until the raw wounds she had turned pink, unphased by the audible cracking of bone next to him.

Since they ran into them while tracking down that witch, he'll stick around… If only until after the full moon...


End file.
